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I am trying to encourage my boss to make the switch from an old card stamper to a computer running Ubuntu. We need a decent program that employee's can clock in during the day, clock out during lunch, and then back in.

After the day is up we need it to give the EXACT hours/minutes the employee worked. If possible it would be nice if the app could sync with the computer in the office.

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  • Have you gone through this link askubuntu.com/questions/7273/…
    – VRU
    Jan 9, 2013 at 5:04
  • That doesn't look like what we are looking for. Preferably we'd need a program that keeps track of a employee's hours by barcode reader (to clock in and out) and auto calculate their earnings /w overtime as well. I hope such software exists.
    – Matthew
    Jan 9, 2013 at 5:08
  • @VRU that link DOES NOT come close to the management tool the OP is requesting. a TIME CLOCK is what is needed.
    – Ringtail
    Jan 9, 2013 at 5:09
  • @Matthew as you are prompting for a Barcode Reader then it is a custom solution where in you even require the hardware. there are a lot of embedded companies who develop coded tags and barcode reader for the same purpose(Employee's Attendance and Time Management) what you have mentioned.
    – VRU
    Jan 9, 2013 at 5:16
  • What type of business are you running, or apart of? Usually POS is good for retail and can be used for those purposes. I think they can be custom made.
    – Mochan
    Jan 9, 2013 at 5:45

3 Answers 3

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DISCLAIMER: I have not tested any of the programs below, nor do I know if they're safe to download and free of any risks. Please evaluate, download and use at your own risk. I will not be liable for any damage or inconveniences caused.

Time Clock/Employee Attendance Applications for Linux

I had been looking for about an hour for you - so I could actually answer your question instead of submitting an oversized advertisement. And... I hit the jackpot.

Here are a list of applications that suit your needs:

  • TimeTrex Payroll and Time Management 2.2.2 - Free

About: TimeTrex is a complete web-based Payroll and Time Management suite which offers Employee Scheduling, Time and Attendance (time clock, timesheet), Job Costing, Invoicing / Accounts Receivable and Payroll all in single tightly integrated package. With the ability to interface with hardware such as iButtons, barcode readers and cell phones employees are able to efficiently track their time at the office or on the road. Automatically calculate complex over time and premium time business policies and immediately be able to identify labor costs attributed to projects by employee, branch, department, task-type and quantities produced. Finally TimeTrex can process your payroll by calculating withholding taxes, generate detailed electronic pay stubs and even print paychecks or direct deposit funds.

Download

  • actiTIME Server 1.5 - Free

About: actiTIME is a free time-tracking software for management and billing. This easy-to-use web based timesheet allows you to collect time expenses and generate reports. Each actiTIME user is granted individual access rights and one of these allows the manager to enter and modify time-track of other users. actiTIME supports both billable and non-billable tasks and, moreover, it allows data export to QuickBooks. Free support is available!

Download

Alternatively, you could use a Windows application in WINE

Wine (originally an acronym for "Wine Is Not an Emulator") is a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications on several POSIX-compliant operating systems, such as Linux, Mac OSX, & BSD. Instead of simulating internal Windows logic like a virtual machine or emulator, Wine translates Windows API calls into POSIX calls on-the-fly, eliminating the performance and memory penalties of other methods and allowing you to cleanly integrate Windows applications into your desktop.

Check if the desired program is compatible

If you find an application you like, try downloading WINE and testing it out. It can be tricky if you had to pay for the product and it doesn't work - but it's worth a shot. You can search for compatible programs above - but keep in mind not all applications that work are listed. Most haven't been tested.


I included this information because I thought your boss may be interested in taking a more official and trustworthy route to using Ubuntu in his/her business. It's a hassle looking around for information, so I thought it would be useful to include it in one place (here!) and also for future reference.

What is Ubuntu for business?

Canonical Ltd. - the makers of Ubuntu - provide a 'business remix' of the Ubuntu desktop. This is designed for business, rather than home usage. It comes preloaded with many apps and tools ready and helpful to your business.

How can I download the Business Remix of Ubuntu Desktop?

You must fill out a short form at the bottom of the page stating your personal details, which will be in the strictest of confidence, abiding by the Ubuntu Privacy Poilcy.

About you

You will also need to provide details about your workplace, to further help improve Ubuntu for business. It is also kept privately.

About your organisation

Finally, you must agree to the EULA.

EULA thing

After that, you are free to download!

What are the features of Ubuntu Desktop Business Remix?

Ubuntu Business Desktop Remix is a starting point for large-scale corporate desktop deployments. It is inspired by a review of common changes made by IT departments deploying Ubuntu at scale.

The remix retains all the goodness of an Ubuntu Long-Term Support (LTS) release and is compatible with all Ubuntu certified hardware, apps and tools, adding business-focused tools from the standard Ubuntu and partner archives and removing home-user oriented apps. There are no modified or enhanced packages in the remix and it gets its security updates from the same place as standard Ubuntu; it’s just a convenient starting point that includes many common changes made by IT administrators deploying Ubuntu in a corporate setting.

This first LTS-based release includes the Adobe Flash Plugin, VMware View, and the OpenJDK 6 Java run-time environment, while removing social networking software, file sharing apps, games and development/sysadmin tools. We now include full language support and both 32 and 64-bit builds, just the same as Ubuntu.

The result is a simple base image that can be deployed into your corporate environment or used as a starting point for further customisation. Users also benefit from great new features like built-in Microsoft Windows RDP 7.1 support and the Microsoft Visio diagram importer in LibreOffice Draw.

Installation images are available now for free download with registration below. Deployments can be supported through a standard Ubuntu Advantage agreement from Canonical, or unpaid. Management of large scale desktop deployments, either of this remix or standard Ubuntu, is best achieved with Canonical’s Landscape management tool. Archives, packages and updates are identical to all other Ubuntu images.

- Taken from here. Visit the official Ubuntu business portal.

What is Ubuntu Landscape?

The Landscape systems management tool helps you monitor, manage and update your entire Ubuntu infrastructure from a single interface. Part of Canonical’s Ubuntu Advantage support service, Landscape brings you intuitive systems management tools combined with world-class support.

Why use Landscape for your business?

  • Solves the hardest management problems, including building and maintaining software repositories, managing different machine profiles, delegating permissions at a granular level, auditing others actions and accessing asset information in real time.

  • Integration with common client-side Linux sysadmin tooling so you can see the same information about individual machines as you see in the terminal.

  • A complete API lets you use established technologies (e.g. Bash, Python) to borrow or build on Landscape's functionality.

  • Custom scripts need only be written to allow for the business logic unique to your organisation; common tasks (e.g. repository management) are already covered, so there's no need to re-invent the wheel.

  • You can manage machines remotely from anywhere you can access a web browser.

  • Receive alerts when updates become available for specific machines, or manage auto-update policies, instructing devices to update during set maintenance windows.

  • RBAC features for delegating certain activities on specific machines to others - reducing your workload without sacrificing control.

  • Automation for repetitive tasks at scale helps ensure uniformity across your IT estate and eliminates the costs associated with rectifying human errors.

  • By reducing the number of administrators required for basic, day-to-day management, your teams are free to focus on more productive activities that deliver value to your organisation.

  • Custom reporting makes regulatory compliance significantly less problematic, costly and time-consuming.

  • Unlike in-house systems that may have grown organically, Landscape scales with your environment, enabling you to manage up to 40,000 machines with a single instance.

  • Thanks to an extensive, scriptable API, Landscape can be easily integrated with your current configuration management, monitoring and ticketing systems.

  • Updates and future versions are delivered at no cost, because Landscape is part of the Ubuntu Advantage service subscription.

  • Landscape can be used to manage desktop, server and cloud deployments, or subsets of those deployments that you define when you subscribe to Ubuntu Advantage.

You can try Landscape free for 30 days!

If you do not wish to use Ubuntu Business or Landscape:

Does Ubuntu Landscape and the Ubuntu Business Remix sound like something you're not looking for? Below are a few suggestions about how to solve your issue other ways:

Make your own application or have it made

There are many people in the Ubuntu community willing to help you design and build your own app doing everything you need. If you have knowledge in a programming language like C, C++ or Python - you could build it yourself. I'm not a app developer, so I can't be of much help - but there are plenty of forums to get help in.

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I just started using Kapow. It's free and open source software (GPLv3), with builds for several distributions, including Ubuntu.

It's a simple, but usable, QT app. I don't think there is any built-in synchronization, but you can export (to a web page, iCalendar, or Outlook CSV), and/or print.

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There are lot of software available for managing in and out time. But I will recommend Ascent Attendance Management Software. It automates calculation of employee attendance based on different parameters like overtime, shifts, flexi-timings, grace periods and on-duty approvals. This is premium software. You can apply for free demo.

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